My Proposal
“There are first times for everything. The first time I
drove a car, first time I broke my leg, first time I ate sushi, first time I
went to work, first time I was fired -- and I'll never forget my first kiss. 'Firsts'
are memorable parts of life and growing up. Well, the same goes for that first
night spent on the streets or in a homeless shelter. The first time you're
homeless, the intense feelings of fear and uncertainty are impossible to
forget. If you've never been homeless, it's tough to describe that first night
sleeping on the street. The fear and disillusionment are almost paralyzing. You
just go through the motions, but at the same time you're beating yourself up
for being in this situation. It is very surreal because no one ever thinks they
will become homeless. No one.
I'll never forget my first night. I was sober, but I had
no money, no place to go and no one I could call for help. I was officially
homeless. Just six
months earlier I had a well-paying job in the television industry, overseeing
syndicated programs like Wheel of Fortune. But now, I was the one who had
suddenly landed on bankrupt. The irony was painful. I decided to walk from Koreatown
to North Hollywood, mainly because I knew the neighborhood and was comfortable
with the area. I walked
11 or so miles to the valley. By the time I arrived, it was beginning to get
dark, so I started to think about where I was going to sleep. I decided to try
a park nearby, but when I arrived, I noticed gang members hanging around in the
dark, so I moved on to another location.
My feet were becoming swollen; I was emotionally and
physically exhausted. I knew that the worst crimes in the city -- muggings,
beatings, shootings -- happened at night to people living outdoors. I knew that
when you sleep outside, you are vulnerable to just about everything. I was
scared. Probably more scared then I have been or ever will be. I think it was
around 3 a.m. when I finally found a park near a small shopping mall in North Hollywood.
It was empty, and the first place where I felt safe enough to lay down.
Exhaustion quickly set in and I closed my eyes. I don't remember how much time
had passed -- maybe 20 minutes -- when, suddenly, all the water sprinklers went
off. I just laid there in disbelief, soaking. It's impossible to describe the
mixture of fear, anger, vulnerability and, well, homelessness I felt as I lay
there”- Mark Horvath
Hi, my name is Alexis Rodriguez. I am in the progress of
creating an organization to help the homeless in Los Angeles. Not only do I
want to help them find a place to sleep, but I also want to help them for the
better. First, I want to build a shelter for them to sleep. Secondly, I want to
hire local barbers so they can give the homeless decent haircuts. Third, I want
to help them apply for a job somewhere and get them nice dressing clothes for
their interviews. If they do land a job, I will let them stay in the shelter
until they get a place of their own.
We are the 2nd city with the highest population
of homeless people. In 2013, there was approximately 2.5 million homeless
children all around the world. That’s just children. In Los Angeles, there was
53,798 homeless people in 2013. I’m quite confident that population has
increased in these past 2 years. Now, with your donation you can help me lower
that population.
Every time I see a homeless person I feel sympathy for
them. Why? Because it reminds me of my cousin who was once homeless. He had
just gotten out of jail and he was going home with a big smile on his face,
expecting his family to be happy to see him because he hadn’t seen them in 5
years. As soon he got there they said hi and fed him, but as soon as that was
over his parents talked to him and told him that they had no room for him and
he had to find a place to stay. So he contacted us and we let him stay. He
eventually got a job and saved up for a car and started sleeping in his. So
please, help me prevent a future family from losing a member do to
homelessness. Like MLK once said, “Life’s
most urgent questions is: What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther
King, Jr.
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